Knife Packaging

strategy9

strategy9

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A little discussion in a different direction.



Curious how everyone else feels about the boxes your knives come in... who'should your favorite? Who's missed the boat? From all the bells and whistles that come with Kizer, Benchmade and their little pouches, magnetic flip lids with form fitting cutouts from Boker and Kizlyar Supreme. My personal favorites are the small and simple, tight sturdy boxes (😊) like Lionsteel and Mcusta, or the worst (imo) the generic flimsy boxes like Viper and Cold Steel (and Kershaw, and more)...

Packaging isn't "super" important one way or the other, not in as much as what's in the package, but what are you thoughts on knife packaging? What can be done better, is less more or is too much overkill unnecessary?
 
I was pretty impressed with the packaging on the Lionsteel TRE. I also like the way Chris Reeve knives are packaged, Benchmade Gold class, most Medfords, and the Marfione customs.

You are paying more for those knives so the packaging should be pretty nice. The boxes cold steel uses are pretty much on par with a lot of knives in that price range, they aren't terrible but nothing great. I am a little disappointing that Fallkniven uses a similar weight cardboard in a lot of their boxes like on the F1 and S1. They could be a little heavier for the money you're paying.
 
Not the most important, but it does make a difference.
The one company that impressed me was Brous. I love the tube.....it's something different.
Joe
 
I hate boxes; they sit around and take up tons of room (the only reason I don't throw them away is that future buyers will demand them). However, I absolutely love zippered pouches, like the Kizer one pictured in your post. If every knife came with a zippered pouch, it would make transportation so easy: just toss all the pouches into a duffle bag and you're good to go. Pouches just take up so much less space.

So, my ideal would be something like what you get with many customs: just a zippered pouch and the maker's card. Throw in a polishing cloth to top it off and we're set!
 
Good point Bran! The CFK Sukhoi was packaged just like that!
Joe
 
I don't really care too much about packaging. But chris reeve is done nice I like the tool and lube/Loctite , lion steel upper echelon stuff, and I like the gec tubes something different with a old school flare. I also like the zipper pouches, and some of the snap mini pelican like cases. But all in all its just more junk to clutter a drawer.
 
I don't really care about packaging. I don't keep the boxes, the exception being the box my Inkosi came in. I keep the tool, lube, and cloth in the box.
 
I agree, kizer's packaging really surprised me. Real nice box, zippered pouch, cleaning cloth... a bit overkill, but nice.

Personally, as I said in my opinion, my favomited of the small sturdy weight "fit to size" boxes like Lionsteel and my Mcusta came in. I too save all my boxes, just in case, and the thin weight, flimsy cardboard pop tops irk me to know end...
 
I don't care about packaging as long as it protects the knife during shipment. On some, I think the packaging costs more, or at least adds more to, the cost of the knife.
Rich
 
I do care very much about packaging, as not all of my knives are users. One of my favorites is Fox Knives, which typically come packaged in thick, sturdy boxes and the folders often have zippered pouches. Extrema Ratio packaging is also very well done.

The presentation boxes from Boker, LionSteel and others are quite nice, especially the hinged wood and glass case for the Fallkniven Volcano Knife. I also like the tubes from Great Eastern Cutlery and Brous, and the gift tins that some Marttiini knives come in.

Bark River boxes are durable and functional, but unremarkable and not sized for each knife.

Spyderco boxes are putrid slop, and are often too large or too small for the contents. Cold Steel is another one that often crams their knives into flimsy boxes that are too small. Is it really that difficult to design a box to fit a knife? It’s amazing how many manufacturers seem to think that a thin layer of cardboard busting at the seams like an overstuffed sausage somehow constitutes appropriate packaging, while being well aware that many of their customers view their products as collectibles.

Blister paks are almost the worst, but I think that honor goes to Tops, whose knives come sealed in plastic bags. They may as well just wrap it in newspaper, like an old stinky fish.
 
Packaging doesn't matter much for me but I have always loved Brous' stuff. Some come in that cool little tube and others come in a freakin' hard case! It's really awesome when you spend that much on a knife and get something a little extra. I do like Boker (Plus) packaging too, although it does take up more space if your someone that likes to keep all of your boxes.
 
I hate the oversized boxes from ZT. When I received my ZT 566 for Christmas a few years ago, my father said something to the effect of "that's all". Too much room for the knife to move around.

The new Benchmade boxes seem really nice, though I wonder how much of the MAP cost hike has gone into that cardboard. I did notice a strange smell from the Benchmade form after I opened the box.
 
Zippered pouches. I like to keep extra screws, pivots, clips, etc. in the pouch.
 
Zerolessmusic said:
Packaging doesn't matter much for me but I have always loved Brous' stuff. Some come in that cool little tube and others come in a freakin' hard case! It's really awesome when you spend that much on a knife and get something a little extra. I do like Boker (Plus) packaging too, although it does take up more space if your someone that likes to keep all of your boxes.
Click to expand...

You're not getting anything extra, you have paid for all of the extravagant packaging.

I personally would prefer a knife to cost less, and packaging be a cheap simple cardboard box, than have it cost more, and the packaging is a stitched pouch, or a hard-case, or whatever. I'm not buying the knife for the packaging, I'm buying a knife for the knife. Even collectible knives, same thing. I have a knife chest I use, which goes in a safe. I don't keep knives in ANY packaging they came in. I think my Medford's Pelican case is downstairs in a closet. Wonder how much less it would have cost without all the extras?

Your mileage may vary.
 
I'm generally more interested in the knife than the packaging, but I do appreciate nicer packaging. Interestingly, one of my least expensive knives came in one of the nicest boxes I've gotten so far. It's a Colt Canoe that came in a nice hinged presentation-style box with a satiny/-ish lining and velour-covered foam insert with a cutout to hold the knife, similar to the box that came with my Sheaffer Agio fountain pen years ago.
 
By far my favorite was when I received my Rat Worx auto.
Although not my knife, you get a nice box and cordura padded zipper pouch to put it in but like Moander, I use them.
It doesn't see much time in the pouch but it is nice.

 
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